


"Very Appropriate Poetry, Captain"

by trashofalltrades



Category: Star Trek, Star Trek: The Original Series, Star Trek: The Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Post-Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, literary nerds, old married spirk
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-26
Updated: 2020-01-26
Packaged: 2021-02-27 09:35:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,343
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22314916
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/trashofalltrades/pseuds/trashofalltrades
Summary: For their anniversary Spock gets Kirk a collection of Shakespeare's sonnets, setting off a day long literary quotes battle.
Relationships: James T. Kirk/Spock
Comments: 7
Kudos: 76





	"Very Appropriate Poetry, Captain"

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks as always to ChimaeraKitten for beta reading, as well as enabling all of this.  
> Title is a twist on a Spock quote from the episode "Catspaw" also suggested by ChimaeraKitten

The morning of their anniversary, Jim awoke to Spock’s lips pressed against his own. “Happy Anniversary, _Ashayam_.”

Jim gave him a sleepy smile, rubbing a hand over his face as he sat up. When he finally got his eyes open, he let out a small gasp, spotting the weathered book Spock had placed next to him. He carefully picked it up, the cover’s intricate detail faded but still clearly displaying the title “Shakespeare’s Sonnets.”

Spock had certainly gifted him physical books before, especially old Earth classics, but this one was almost a work of art in it of itself, with an absolutely beautiful cover and lettering. He ran his hand across the front before looking up at Spock, grinning like an idiot. “Spock—thank you. This is wonderful. Where did you…”

“The last time we visited Vulcan my mother helped locate it,” he said, his lips turning up ever so slightly.

“It’s _gorgeous_.”

“I am pleased you enjoy it.”

“I love it. Hang on a sec and I can get yours,” he said, attempting to untangle himself from the covers to retrieve the gift he had hidden away.

Spock laid a hand on his arm to stop him. “I have early office hours this morning, but perhaps after dinner? We can also discuss your favorites then,” he said, nodding to the book.

“Of course,” Jim said, giving him a quick kiss before he had to head out the door.

He needed to get up and ready for the day, but instead he flipped the cover open to read through a few pages, morning routine be damned. On the title page, in handwriting so neat it didn’t look like handwriting, was a note from Spock that read:

_But my five wits nor my five senses can_

_Dissuade one foolish heart from serving thee_

He grinned, flipping through to find the sonnet he believed the quote was from and, sure enough, Sonnet 141 contained the lines in question. A hopeless romantic, his husband. He reluctantly flipped the book closed, gently placing it on his nightstand before moving to get dressed and find some food before he too had to leave for the day. The quicker it was over, the sooner they could have their anniversary dinner and he could hear all of Spock’s opinions about Shakespeare’s highly illogical poetry.

Or, he realized, paging the book back open as he began to nurse his morning cup of coffee, he could jump the gun a bit. He skimmed through to find one of his favorites, hoping he could find a pen and paper somewhere. To his knowledge, there weren’t any Academy rules that prohibited professors from quoting poetry on the clock, and if there were, well, it was high time they were broken.

As soon as he got to the Academy, he dropped his bag and coat off in his office and went to go find Spock. He peeked his head into his office, and seeing Spock alone with his PADD, walked in brandishing a piece of paper he pulled from his pocket.

Spock looked up at him, eyebrows raised. “Jim, I was not expecting you. What is that?”

“I didn’t want to wait for tonight,” he said, leaning onto the desk as he slid the paper towards Spock. “Sonnet 116.”

Spock took it and began to read the poem scrawled in much messier handwriting than his own.

_Let me not to the marriage of true minds_

_Admit impediments. Love is not love_

_Which alters when it alteration finds,_

_Or bends with the remover to remove._

_O no, it is an ever-fixèd mark_

_That looks on tempests and is never shaken;_

_It is the star to every wand'ring bark,_

_Whose worth’s unknown, although his height be taken._

_Love’s not time’s fool, though rosy lips and cheeks_

_Within his bending sickle’s compass come:_

_Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks,_

_But bears it out even to the edge of doom._

_If this be error and upon me proved,_

_I never writ, nor no man ever loved_

Spock looked up, locking eyes with him with a look that made Jim go slightly weak in the knees. He leaned forward to close the gap between them, only for the doors behind them to swish open, a startled “Oh!” coming from a poor cadet.

Jim quickly excused himself, shooting Spock a mischievous smile over his shoulder as he left the room. He had just started a battle of the quotes, though he suspected they were both more than up for the challenge. Knowing Spock, he already had a rebuttal ready.

After morning classes, they managed to grab a quick lunch together, catching each other up on how their days were going so far. As they walked back through the academic buildings, Spock suddenly pulled him into and alcove, grabbing both his hands and holding him close.

“Life’s great happiness is to be convinced we are loved,” he murmured. “ _Les Misérables_. “And I should note that you always have been very persuasive.”

“Is that so?” Jim asked, stealing a quick kiss before he said, “crap, I have to come up with one now, don’t I. Do you want me to keep it in the Les Mis vein?”

Spock let out a small huff of amusement. “Go ahead.”

“To love or have loved, that is enough,” he said, giving Spock’s hands a gentle squeeze before he forced himself to break away and head back for his final class.

Later that afternoon Jim sat in his office, cursing as he finished up paperwork and reviewing the next day’s lessons. He was blessedly interrupted by a faint knock on his door, a cadet peeking her head inside.

“Come in. Here with a question?”

“No sir,”

“Thank God. If I have to go over one more essay today, I’m heading back to space,” he joked. “What can I do for you then?”

“I have a message from Professor Spock?” she said, handing over a small slip of paper. “He said he would have given it to you in person, but a meeting ran long.”

“Ah, of course,” he said. “Thank you, cadet.”

The moment the doors closed behind her he unfolded the note, which read:

_My feelings will not be repressed. You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you._

_—Pride and Prejudice_

He re-read it, pushing all his feelings of love across their bond and smiling when he felt Spock respond in kind. He stuck the note in his pocket, every so often placing his hand on it to feel it was still there as he finished up his work for the day before and then headed to go find his husband and take him out to dinner. 

“You have not tried to attempt a response regarding my previous note,” Spock said after a few minutes, his mouth quirked. “Can you think of no more?”

Jim scoffed, moving a little closer to Spock as they walked the last few blocks to their favorite Italian place. “Hardly. It was just too difficult to pick only one. After all,” he said, turning to Spock with a teasing smile, “‘you have been in every line I have ever read.’”

Spock stared at him blankly for a moment before it clicked and he raised an eyebrow, asking, “Dickens?”

He nodded. “ _Great Expectations_. And when it comes to you, a very fitting sentiment.”

“That is… high praise."

“You’re not jealous you don’t have a good comeback prepared?” Jim teased.

“No, and I am in no great hurry to come up with one.” Spock took his hand in his own as they arrived at the restaurant, looking down at Jim with thinly concealed amusement. “After all, ‘I have waited for this opportunity for more than half a century, to repeat to you once again my vow of eternal fidelity and everlasting love _.’_ Gabriel Garcia Marquez, I believe.”

Jim just stared, letting Spock silently laugh at him as they sat down to enjoy a dinner that was filled with good food and even better poetry.


End file.
